Preneed Cemetery Activities Investment Related Activities (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Investment related activities [Line Items]
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	$ 31,729	$ 67,445
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(4,213)	(25,733)
Cemetery [Member]
Investment related activities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	155,727		227,380
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(7,971)		12,027
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	131,043		105,040
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(33,619)		43,734
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	286,770		332,420
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(41,590)		(55,761)
Deposits	25,268	25,195
Withdrawals	29,881	24,733
Purchases of available-for-sale securities	105,722	270,083
Sales of available-for-sale securities	125,743	255,417
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	16,576	39,272
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(2,170)	(13,770)
Private Equity Funds [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Investment related activities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	0		46
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	0		(17)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	7,564		17,136
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(5,352)		(15,158)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	7,564		17,182
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	5,352		(15,175)
Other Investments [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Investment related activities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value			8
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses			0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value			378
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses			(1)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value			386
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses			$ (1)